Whether you THRIVE or just survive- the choice is yours
"Woe is me is not an attractive narrative."
Maureen Dowd
I've had some WTF moments in my life,but none quite as bizarre as the day I received an email saying they were shutting down the gym.....my workplace, because people in America were no longer allowed to gather together. It's been three weeks since that day, and I have since danced with all stages of grief.
Shock.....how could this be happening?
Denial....just a few weeks and everything will be back to normal.
Anger.....you know I can't sit still, and why the hell is it raining every damn day?
Bargaining....well, I guess I'll apply for unemployment benefits.
Depression....I miss my job, and my friends. What the hell do I do now?
And finally testing...how can I regain any sense of passion in my life.
Friends, I KNOW we can get through this, but I've discovered that it's going to take a real sense of remembering our purpose. It's going to require drive.
In his book Drive, Daniel Pink tells the story of Harry F. Harlow, a professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin who in 1949 set up an experiment on learning with monkeys. Using puzzles, he was able to discover that the monkeys not only had a biological drive, but they also had an intrinsic drive. "The joy of the task was its own reward." The joy of the task takes us beyond our needs for human survival. The joy of the task is what helps us to THRIVE!
So, how do we find purpose in times like these?
In his article "How to Find your Purpose In Life" Jeremy Smith suggests 6 simple ways to get back on track.
1. Read It's easy to get lost binge watching tv or browsing social media. Sit in the sun, escape with a novel or learn something new!
2. Cultivate Gratitude and Altruism Catapult your default position of griping and negativity by focusing on the positive. If I were to force you to admit it, I bet you do have very much to be grateful for. Let that energy to inspire you to do something nice for someone else.
3. Listen to what other people appreciate about you. Maybe you're like my friend Abrea who can make a killer playlist. My friend Daina led a "Raise your Vibe" ride last week to help to get us out of our funk. Maybe you made a mean pot roast last night. Whatever people say that you do well- do more of that!
4. Find and build community- your people are still there. Send the text or make that phone call.
5. Tell your story. I love, love, love people like the Holderness Family who make funny videos on how they are surviving at home. Their willingness to be vulnerable is a gift that brings us all together. In our story, we find our truth.
Today, I am not doing the depression tango. I'm sure we will dance another day.... but MY purpose has always been to inspire.....and so I set to seek real solutions.
We can get through this, but we must refocus on what really drives us. Choose love over fear
Choose to THRIVE.
Maureen Dowd
I've had some WTF moments in my life,but none quite as bizarre as the day I received an email saying they were shutting down the gym.....my workplace, because people in America were no longer allowed to gather together. It's been three weeks since that day, and I have since danced with all stages of grief.
Shock.....how could this be happening?
Denial....just a few weeks and everything will be back to normal.
Anger.....you know I can't sit still, and why the hell is it raining every damn day?
Bargaining....well, I guess I'll apply for unemployment benefits.
Depression....I miss my job, and my friends. What the hell do I do now?
And finally testing...how can I regain any sense of passion in my life.
Friends, I KNOW we can get through this, but I've discovered that it's going to take a real sense of remembering our purpose. It's going to require drive.
In his book Drive, Daniel Pink tells the story of Harry F. Harlow, a professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin who in 1949 set up an experiment on learning with monkeys. Using puzzles, he was able to discover that the monkeys not only had a biological drive, but they also had an intrinsic drive. "The joy of the task was its own reward." The joy of the task takes us beyond our needs for human survival. The joy of the task is what helps us to THRIVE!
So, how do we find purpose in times like these?
In his article "How to Find your Purpose In Life" Jeremy Smith suggests 6 simple ways to get back on track.
1. Read It's easy to get lost binge watching tv or browsing social media. Sit in the sun, escape with a novel or learn something new!
2. Cultivate Gratitude and Altruism Catapult your default position of griping and negativity by focusing on the positive. If I were to force you to admit it, I bet you do have very much to be grateful for. Let that energy to inspire you to do something nice for someone else.
3. Listen to what other people appreciate about you. Maybe you're like my friend Abrea who can make a killer playlist. My friend Daina led a "Raise your Vibe" ride last week to help to get us out of our funk. Maybe you made a mean pot roast last night. Whatever people say that you do well- do more of that!
4. Find and build community- your people are still there. Send the text or make that phone call.
5. Tell your story. I love, love, love people like the Holderness Family who make funny videos on how they are surviving at home. Their willingness to be vulnerable is a gift that brings us all together. In our story, we find our truth.
Today, I am not doing the depression tango. I'm sure we will dance another day.... but MY purpose has always been to inspire.....and so I set to seek real solutions.
We can get through this, but we must refocus on what really drives us. Choose love over fear
Choose to THRIVE.
Comments
Post a Comment